In general, a display device provided in a portable terminal includes a display module, and a transparent window member mounted on the display module. The window member protects the display module while revealing a screen and images generated by the display module.
As a recent portable terminal including a display device can perform various functions such as access to the Internet and reproduction of a multimedia file, a touch function is mounted and included with the display device. That is, an input device can be realized and provided through a display device to which a touch function is mounted and included instead of providing a separate input device. Utilizing a screen display area for providing both access to the Internet and a providing multimedia functions such as touch capability for providing input functions portability of the portable terminal is enhanced. Accordingly, portability of a portable terminal can be maintained while also providing a large-sized display device mounted to the portable terminal.
As mentioned above, the display device includes a window member to reveal a screen for viewing and protect a display module. Almost the whole area of the window member is preferably transparent to reveal and transmit a screen displayed in the display module, but a bonding member such as a double-sided tape is disposed at least at a periphery of the window member to mount the window member to a housing of the portable terminal. It is apparent that a portion of the housing directly supporting a periphery of the window member or the bonding member is exposed to the outside through the transparent window member. An internal structure or the bonding member of the housing can be concealed by printing or making the periphery of the window member opaque.
FIG. 1A is a sectional view showing a window member of a general portable terminal, and FIG. 1B is a view showing that a film layer including a pattern layer is coupled to a glass member. Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, the window member 10 includes a glass member 11 such as tempered glass, a film layer 12, a pattern layer 13 formed along a periphery of the glass layer 11, a deposition layer 14 formed on one surface of the pattern layer 13, and print layers 15 formed on one surface of the deposition layer 14. The print layers 15 are adapted to conceal a configuration for supporting the window member 10 in a housing of the portable terminal, and are formed of a colored pigment. The pattern layer 13 is formed with a fine pattern such as hair lines along a periphery of the tempered glass. The pattern layer 13 provides a pattern feeling to realize a metallic feeling and appearance at a periphery of the window member 10. The pattern layer 13 is formed by using an ultraviolet curing resin, and the film layer 12 is necessary between the glass member 11 and the pattern layer 13 to attach the ultraviolet curing resin to the glass member 11. The film layer 12 includes a film 12a, and an optically transparent double-sided tape 12b bonding the film 12a to the glass member 11. The pattern layer 13 is formed at a periphery of the film 12a first to provide the pattern layer 13 to the periphery of the glass member 11. The optically transparent double-sided tape 12b is attached to a rear surface of the film 12a having the pattern layer 13, and the film 12a having the pattern layer 13 is combined with the glass member to finish the window member 10.
However, the film layer 12 is necessary only to form the pattern layer 13, but does not contribute to the window member 10, and thus to the function and structure of the portable terminal. Further, since the film layer 12 increases an entire thickness of the window member 10 and a manufacturing process of attaching the film layer 12 to the glass member 11, the manufacturing process is complex and processing costs also increase accordingly.